Bundesliga to enter mandatory COVID-19 quarantine to finish season

The German Bundesliga was the first European top-flight football league to resume play last spring after competitions around the world halted seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On Thursday, the German Football League confirmed that the Bundesliga and second-tier 2. Bundesliga will adopt quarantine measures starting May 2 after Hertha Berlin were forced into a two-week quarantine due to a coronavirus outbreak. 

According to Tom Hamilton of ESPN, players and staff members will only be permitted to leave their homes for training sessions and matches from May 2 through May 11. Starting May 12, personnel will be placed into "quarantine training camps" through the final day of the season scheduled for May 23.

The German Football League explained that postponing the completion of the season is off the table due to the upcoming UEFA European Championship that was rescheduled from last year because of the health crisis. 

"It is the clubs' responsibility to ensure that players, coaches and training staff come into contact with no one but each other during the stated period," the German Football League said in a statement. "All requirements of the medical and hygiene-related concept remain unchanged.

"If individuals such as team doctors have to temporarily leave the 'quarantine training camp' in exceptional cases on account of particular professional duties, they may only return to the group of persons if they take further protective measures, including a negative antigen rapid test immediately before returning."

Bayern Munich are the uncrowned Bundesliga champions and are 10 points clear of second-place RB Leipzig in the table with four matchdays remaining.